British bank Barclays posts 2024 pretax profit hike, launches £1 billion share buyback
1. Barclays reported a 24% rise in pre-tax profit for 2024. 2. A £1 billion share buyback reflects strong shareholder returns. 3. HSBC's market exit could benefit Barclays' banking unit. 4. Barclays recovers from tech outages affecting transactions last month. 5. Bank of England rate cuts may impact bank profit margins.